NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The following video is one in a series from ViewChange, a multimedia organization managed by LinkTV and founded with support by the Gates Foundation, that is producing and procuring educational and inspiring videos from across the developing world. NextBillion is partnering with ViewChange to share these stories of enterpreneurship against the odds with the NextBillion community.

In the backcountry of the Dominican Republic, poor cacao farmers have been fighting a losing battle with the global economy for as long as anyone can remember. But the thriving Loma Guaconejo cooperative has found a way to turn the system on its head. “For us, the cooperative was like electricity,” one of the farmers explains.

The following video was directed by Robin Blotnick. Learn more about the full-length documentary “Chocolate Country,” which was originally featured in the ViewChange Online Film Contest.